We came back to the Manchebo for our second visit to Aruba, and we were even lucky enough to get the same room (at our request) as last year, too. The rooms have been updated; there is new furniture and the bedspreads are of a darker color as well. The flat screen TV looks nice, but we had a lot of problem getting the remote to work properly and the reception was fuzzy. These things don’t bother me too much, as I certainly don’t fly all the way to Aruba to watch television!

After a second year at this resort I feel 100% confident in saying that it is the best beach resort in Aruba. The beach is never crowded, the palapas are both plentiful and well spread-out. There is a lot of privacy on this beach. We rarely saw any children, the beach is almost exclusively couples (which it helps that the soon to be adults-only Bucuti resort is next door).

The pool at the Manchebo is small, but no one comes here for the pool. This resort is all about relaxing on the beach. The hotel staff are all wonderful, friendly, helpful and feel like family. I heard there were plans to replace the green ground covering with something a little easier to walk on in the coming year.

The Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa was a gem. It was very quiet, laid back, and moderately priced. If you are looking for an expensive, lush resort with all the amenities, this is not the place for you. However, if you are looking for friendly staff, a GREAT beach, good food, and relaxation, make your reservation today!

We were on the all-inclusive program, and unlike other all-inclusive programs there was no "special" menu and absolutely no restrictions on food. The drink choices were fine, although we suspected that the "premium" beverages were a little better, especially in reference to the cocktails. The French Steakhouse was a delight, and is considered to be one of the best restaurants on the island. The Italian Garden Terrace was our favorite for dinner. It is open, breezy, full of tropical plants, and the staff was superb. The lunch restaurant, Pega Pega Beach Bar & Grill, had steak fajitas to die for, as well as a Hawaiian burger with a giant slice of grilled pineapple. Yum!

The pool was small, but no one was really there for the pool, they were there for the beach! The beach seems massive compared to what the other hotels have on the island. It is very wide, and during the off season you could ALWAYS get a palapa, even if you slept in and got to the beach after noon time. We saw that the high-rise hotels all shared Palm Beach, as the hotels were located on the opposite side of the road, and the beaches were crowded. We felt lucky to be on Manchebo Beach.

The rooms were large but a little outdated, although we didn't care as the only thing we did in the room was sleep and dress. Housekeeping did a wonderful job, everything was always well stocked and clean. The bed was not too firm. Our balcony from the second floor (there are only 2 floors) was an ocean view and it was supremely private and had a gorgeous view, as you can see from the photo.

All in all we were very happy with our choice to stay at the Manchebo and will definitely be returning the next time we visit Aruba!